Hammer



(No Model.)

H. B. HAGKET'I'. HAMMER.

No. 450,011. Paten tedApr. 7, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY'B..I'IACKET", OF MONON, INDIANA.

HAMMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,011, dated April '7, 1891. Application filed April 11,1890. Serial No. 347,472. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY B. HACKETT, a citizen of. the United States, residing at Monon, in the county of White and State of Indiana, have in\-'ented certain newand useful Improvements in Hammers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to hammers, and aims to provide the same with means for holding a nail prior to sticking it, and which will not interfere in the least with the general usefulness of the tool.

The improvement consists of thenovel features, which hereinafter will be more fully described and claimed, and which are shown in the annexed drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a hammer embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the hammer, the nail-holding clasp being removed. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the nail-holding clasp. Fig. 4 is a detail section on the line y y of Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale. Fig. 5 is a cross-section on the line w a: of Fig. 1.

The hammerA in general appearance is of ordinary construction, having claw O and poll B. The poll terminates in flange D, and at a distance from the said flanged end is provided on the obverse or left-hand side with the projection E, which is cast or otherwise integrally formed with the hammer. The portion 1) between the flange D and the projection E is flat, and from this flattened portion a guide-channel (Z extends through the flange D. The nail-holding clasp F is sprung around the poll of the hammer between the flange D and the projection E, and is held in place thereon by a single rivet G. Instead of the rivet G, any means may be employed that will prevent the clasp turning on the poll. The separated ends of the clasp are curled to obtain a broader purchase on the sides of the nail and permit the readyinsertion of the nail between them. This clasp is seated in a channelf, formed in the poll, so as to come flush with the sides of the said poll. The recess e in the flattened side I) I of the poll directly beneath the projection E receives the head of the nail and holds it from lateral displacement and forms a guide for the upper end of the nail, the lower p01 to receive it, until it touches the flattened portion Z). The clasp F will grip the nail with sufficient firmness to hold it during the operation of sticking, the projection E receiving the force of the blow. After the nail is stuck the hammer is disengaged therefrom by a quick lateral movement and the nail is driven in the usual manner. The flange D protects the spring-clasp F from injury, and by locating the guide-channel (l in the side of the flange it does not impair the usefulness of the tool, which would be the case if it were formed in the upper side of the flange, as in the latter case sharp corners would be formed, which would mar the wood when using the tool for extracting nails, in that the said flange forms the fulcrum for the hammer when so used.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a hammer having an annular groove around its poll, of a spring holding-nail clasp fitted in the said groove and sprung around the poll, and having its separated ends curled to receive the nails, substantially as set forth. a

2. The hereinbefore shown and describe hammer, constructed with flange D and with the projection E on one side thereof, the flange'having a guide-channel d in line with the projection E and having recess 6 below the projection E and annular groove or channel f above flange D, and having thatportion between the projection E and flange D flattened, and the spring holding-nail clasp fitted in the said annular groove or channel and sprung around the poll of the hammer, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I afflx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY B. HAOKET".

Witnesses;

JOHN F. MILLER, WILLIAM B. ORR. 

